Day 14 - Blocking Off and Breaking Through!

Another new blogger today. I am Marilyn and I have been asked to do the blog for today and tomorrow- so watch this space!

Things are gradually moving on and as you see the hoarding is now up in a number of areas – just wondering if anyone is going to make it all look pretty!

Hoarding by the South door

Hoarding in the Quire

Now the crypt has been cleared the serious work begins.  As you can see the builders are now beginning to put all their might into breaking through the wall in our vestry  in the crypt into what is known as the ‘pigeon parlour.’ They will have to watch out as they may have more than falling rubble to deal with!

They are also dismantling our kitchen in the vestry area which is in badly need of renovation. There will be a new servery area so refreshments can readily be served.

Breaking through the wall

Vestry being taken apart

 As you can see this is a very dismal and very underused space.  This area will be completely transformed into a large open space but with the ability to subdivide the space so that it can accommodate two groups at a time and be used for a variety of activities, including educational and musical

Corridor to Lay Clerks room

Day 13 Roofs and Roof lights

Hello,Gilly blogging again.

The library roof is the roof star of the show in our HTFE project, but there are lots more roofs to think about.  I am busy contemplating the state of the roof light to Gundulph's tower, while others take essential measurements and photographs.  I think I had earned my few moments of contemplation as we reached the various parts of the roof using extraordinary stairways and doorways (only one head bump) and climbing a perpendicular ladder plus a scary little walkway.

Gilly in contemplation mode - don't do it!

Meanwhile, back at the main project, Matt Newton and Alison Webster, Planning Supremos from
Medway Council, assess the impact of the proposals in one corner of the Garth garden.  Lovely to see people looking so happy in their work!

Day 12 - The Continuing Story!

The Loos!

I am a guest blogger today, so have started with a bog for the blog.  Cries of alarm were heard earlier in the project when the contractor's loos were sited within sight of the Tea Rooms.  We all felt that this was a rather too obvious demonstration of cause and effect.  Now they are clothed in a seemly screen and I am assured that this will look even more beautiful in days to come.

The Project Team in deep discussion

Running a project like this can't all be done by Edwina (Project Director) and a sharpened pencil. Here is the project team hard at work in our Council Room, deciding on 'What Happens Next'.  They all said that they try to look intelligent, so you can make up your own minds about their level of success.   Banquo's Ghost in the corner is apparently a very lovely cope.  I keep meaning to check this out but have always been scared to in case it actually is a skeleton.......

Gilly Wilford - Chapter Clerk- Executive Director

Day 11 - The Wheel of Fortune

Hello. My name is Philip Talboys. I've been asked to do a guest blog by The Dean.

Here is a photo of the well-known wall painting in the Choir of the "Wheel of Fortune", or "Rota Fortunae" (as Boris Johnson would say). Like many familiar symbols, it has an interesting past, I learn.

Wheel of Fortune

 The origins of the Wheel of Fortune metaphor are ancient. It goes back to Ancient India, the Greeks and the Romans - well before the eponymous television programme, in other words -
and ties in with contemporary understanding of the structure of the universe. In the Middle Ages, however, philosophers and divines took it up, and it became a symbol of, not only the
capriciousness of life, but of the fate awaiting those who get too full of themselves.

A Cathedral brochure describes the men as having 'climbed' to their respective positions. This rather misses the point, dare I say it?  Instead, it is the spinning of the wheel by the Goddess,
or Empress, of Fortune (often shown blindfolded) which is responsible for where the men find themselves. Where we end up is outside our control.

If I've got too full of myself, no doubt the Wheel will be spinning tonight! (I will recognise the hand of Mark Beach...)

Day 10 Closure of the South Door

Preparations for closing access  

Builders at work 

We are now approaching the end  the 2^nd working week. The preliminary  work needed prior to the start of the main works is coming along nicely.  Today we saw the closure of access through our South Door entrance of the Cathedral to all members of the public. There is  also no disabled access to our Quire. This access will remain closed whilst the work to the crypt and library is being undertaken. This is another big step in our project and we look forward to the time when we can see the new lift that will be installed, allowing access to all levels of the cathedral.

Colin -swiftly moving on!

Colin, our Head Verger is taking it all in his stride.  He is making sure that the Cathedral runs smoothly and that he maintains contact with the builders on a day to day basis. As you can see he is getting really adept at moving swiftly on should an extra pair of hands be called upon!

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Day 9 Keeping the Organist Happy.

Nave Organists Telly

As Work Progresses we will be using a state of the Art Electric Organ in the Nave for Services, in order to preserve the Cathedral organ from sucking in Builders dust and the Like.

Darren Bramley, who is always up for a challenge, spent the day deep inside the Organ running cables so that the Organist will still be able to see various parts of the Cathedral using miniature CCTV cameras pointing at the Nave and Choir during services. This allows the Organist to maintain Eye Contact with the Clergy and the Choir Master for cues during the service.

 

It’s a bit of a squeeze and it was very hot , but now the Organist will have a grandstand view, albeit from the Cathedral Floor. 

In the Organ

Day 8 - Creating a Vestry

It may have struck those of you who know the Cathedral well that without the Library for the next year we are also without a Vestry - They double up! Another case of small but perfectly formed!

So we are creating a temporary Vestry in the South Quire Transept which will occupy most of that space.

Interestingly this area was the focus of the last major bit of work to be done on the building, back in the 1870's. The Cathedral had started to list very badly and some major underpinning was needed. You can see the effect of this in the photo here where one of the pillars in the background is definitely the Leaning Pillar of Rochester....

Also in the crypt some major brick supports were placed under the arches. We are told now that this is typical Victorian Over-Engineering ... lets hopes so because a good few of them are being removed over the next few months.

Anyway, back to the Vestry. I first discovered that this was today's work when I met three men building wooden boxes outside my garden! These are to be the supports for the "walls" of the new Vestry. Two of the boxes have been brought inside and filled with bags of sand to ballast them... I guess there will be more progress tomorrow....